Thread: How to reverse back your Garmin unit to a previous FW version

Wow, this is really tricky. I sort of figured it out, and successfully loaded the older firmware, but it did flash back to the newest version. I'll follow your new instructions and let you now how it goes. Thanks!

Success! We'll see how useful the unit is now with this old firmware. It's back to interacting with Basecamp. That is one issue resolved. The other is the matter of the unit hiding waypoints it is not navigating to, not much of an issue for most, but a real problem for me, as I do a lot of off-roading in extremely remote terrain, and tend to follow waypoints I've loaded from Basecamp like breadcrumbs.

Thanks again, you've been a terrific help.

Originally Posted by GermanStar

The other is the matter of the unit hiding waypoints it is not navigating to, not much of an issue for most, but a real problem for me, as I do a lot of off-roading in extremely remote terrain, and tend to follow waypoints I've loaded from Basecamp like breadcrumbs.

Basecamp is not friendly with Nuvi. Save waypoint to separate GPX file on PC and then copy this file to device in GPX folder with any name for exception of current.gpx. After restart waypoints must be in list.

BTW, I believe what Garmin is up to here is actively disabling features in order to boost sales of their ridiculously expensive ($600) 276Cx unit. Now they don't want their newer automotive units to interact with Basecamp at all, and are discouraging off-road use however they can. I have a couple of nuvi 52 units, and they do nearly everything the 276 Cx does. And I have couple GSMAP64 units for hiking.

Anyway, one of my 52s broke so I picked up a 57 as replacement. When I realized Garmin had hobbled this thing, I called product support and screamed bloody murder. I suspect I was not alone, because they pretty quickly abandoned the nuvi name altogether. Subsequent product updates hobbled it further still. They now sell what was nuvi 57 as GarminDrive 51. In the meantime, I picked up a brand new nuvi 52 on eBay. So I'm good, but it would still be nice if a firmware reversion would render the 57 at least marginally useful. I'll find out next week when I go traipsing around the mountains some more. I'll bring a backup 52 in case it lets me down again.

Originally Posted by Grizzzly

Basecamp is not friendly with Nuvi. Save waypoint to separate GPX file on PC and then copy this file to device in GPX folder with any name for exception of current.gpx. After restart waypoints must be in list.

Basecamp is perfectly friendly with nuvi 50 and 52. Been using 'em for years. I copy and delete dozens, sometime hundreds of waypoints from Basecamp to nuvi 52 units every week.

Tested the 57 today with v2.30 firmware, and it is still flaky. Waypoints along mapped roads appear only after successfully navigating to one, but other waypoints along dirt roads may appear or may not. In one instance, we were driving toward a hidden waypoint and encountered a locked gate, so had to turn around. As soon as we turned around, the waypoint, now receding, was suddenly visible on the map. Bizarre. It is better than it was, but I'd hate to have to rely on it while traveling the back-roads. It is clear that Garmin is rewriting firmware to restrict the unit, as much as possible, to navigating toward selected waypoints only.

This is important information, because I believe I will no accept firmware "upgrades", for my old nuvi 52 units, in fear of nefarious hobbling activity from Garmin. Dunno about you guys, but I think this is all pretty crappy. I would love to dump Garmin on its high flying corporate ass, but am utterly dependent upon Basecamp and Garmin compatible maps.